As it becomes available in its 34th state, Assurance Wireless can
help more than 817,000 eligible Oregon residents stay connected

July 09, 2012 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

WARREN, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Assurance
Wireless, which provides a wireless phone and 250 free voice minutes
and 250 free text messages monthly with no contract to eligible
residents, introduces its services in Oregon. Assurance Wireless is a
Lifeline Assistance program supported by the federal Universal Service
Fund and now offers the best value in calling plans among major Lifeline
Assistance programs.1

More than 168,000 Oregon residents are without a job, and more than 23
percent are living below the federal poverty line. Assurance Wireless
gives eligible customers the ability to provide a contact number and
return calls to a prospective employer, which, studies show, can improve
the chances of securing employment.

According to a nationwide survey from Assurance Wireless*, adults with
an income of less than $25,000 are as likely to use their mobile phone
for employment searches as those with higher incomes. Data collected by
Austin Nichols, a senior researcher with the Chronicle for Higher
Educations Urban Institute showed that the rate of graduates with
doctoral degrees who have filed for government assistance more than
tripled between 2007 and 2010. According to a report, “If all 28.5
million adults eligible for Lifeline Assistance were to take advantage
of the program and earn at the same rate and level as [the study]
sample, it would result in $3.7 billion in fresh income for the poor and
near poor.”2

“As Assurance Wireless has been approved to offer service in more
states, we are proud to help more and more customers stay connected to
potential employers, medical and childcare providers,” said Grace Boehm,
director of strategy and business planning, Assurance Wireless. “We look
forward to providing this same type of assistance to eligible Oregon
residents who need support and resources during what continue to be
rough economic times for many.”

“I was unemployed for an extended amount of time due to layoffs,” stated
Evan M., 37, an Assurance Wireless customer. “The phone and service I
received from Assurance Wireless were invaluable to my finding new
employment and to my efforts to recover from this recession. It allowed
me to contact potential employers and provide a way for them to respond
to me, while also saving money. Assurance also gave me peace of mind
that I had a way to stay connected to my kids while away from home.”

The Lifeline Assistance program is available for only one wireline or
wireless account per household. Enrollment in this government benefit
program is available to consumers who meet federal or state-specific
eligibility criteria. Residents may qualify for Assurance Wireless if
they are on certain public assistance programs, such as Medicaid,
National School Lunch’s Free Lunch Program, Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP), Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Applicants must provide
proof of program participation or proof of income. Eligibility for
Assurance Wireless varies by state.

In addition to a voice mail account3 and call waiting,
Assurance Wireless provides caller ID and access to 911 in case of
emergency. Beyond the 250 free voice minutes each month, customers can
choose from other options to pay for additional minutes, texting,
international calling and more at competitive rates.

People who don’t qualify for Assurance Wireless but who are also
struggling and searching for value can take advantage of payLo by Virgin
Mobile. payLo was especially designed with value-conscious wireless
consumers in mind, offering plans for as little as $20/month for 400
minutes or access to 90 days of service for $20 at a rate of less than
$7 per month. payLo is available at more than 40,000 retail stores,
including Best Buy, RadioShack and Target. Prospective low-income
customers who find they are not eligible for Assurance Wireless may
learn more about Virgin Mobile’s no-contract payLo Plan options by
visiting http://www.virginmobileusa.com/cell-phone-plans/payloplans.jsp#.

Assurance Wireless is also available in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado,
Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Indiana,
Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,
Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North
Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee,
Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin. This
list of states continues to expand and can be found on the Assurance
website.

About Assurance Wireless

Assurance Wireless, one of Sprint’s
no-contract brands, is supported by the Lifeline Assistance program,
part of the Low Income Program of the federal Universal Service Fund
(USF), which is administered by the Universal Service Administrative
Company (USAC). Assurance Wireless provides service on the Nationwide
Sprint Network, which reaches more than 280 million people.

Offer limited to eligible customers (varies by state) residing in
selected geographic areas and is non-transferable. Consumers who
willfully make false statements in order to obtain the benefit can be
punished by fine or imprisonment or can be barred from the program.
Phone model's based on availability and may vary depending on inventory.
Voicemail draws from plan minutes. Add'l voice: 10c/min. Domestic text:
10c/msg (sent or received). Int’l & Data services may be extra per plan.
Airtime charges apply when accessing voicemail via an Assurance Wireless
phone once free minutes have been depleted. Account may expire 150 days
after you receive notice of ineligibility for Assurance Wireless service
and account balance may be forfeited. State and local sales taxes and
fees may apply. $5 Plan: Minimum Top-Up of $10 may be
required. Nationwide coverage area reaches more than 280 million people.
Virgin Mobile USA network services are provided on the Nationwide
Sprint® Network. Visit virginmobileusa.com
to check coverage in your area. Assurance Wireless is subject to the
Terms of Service (includes plan details) found on www.assurancewireless.com.

Note:sources for all information and statistics are available
upon request*PKS Research Partners was commissioned by
Sprint/Nextel (Assurance Wireless) to conduct a research project among a
nationally representative sample of U.S. adults 25 years or older in
order to determine their attitudes toward and usage of mobile phones.